The invention relates to a method for producing a substantially shell-shaped, fiber-reinforced plastic part and to a system for carrying out this method
Shell-shaped, fiber-reinforced plastic parts of the type are found in numerous technical fields of use, for example, the field of structural parts of motor vehicles. Shell-shaped, fiber-reinforced plastic parts are required for use in columns, supports, crash elements, seats, or the like. In light of the high piece numbers, achieving automated production as well as efficiency of production are particularly important.
DE 198 29 352 A1 discloses a method of forming of a flat material blank made of fiber-reinforced plastic in a shaping tool. In order to attain the flexibility of the material blank required for forming, the material blank is preheated before forming. To this end, an appropriate heating device is placed in the shaping tool before forming is carried out. After preheating, the heating device is removed from the shaping tool and the shaping tool is closed in order to form the material blank. The actual forming takes place in a first step by way of a molding die and, in a second step, by applying compressed air or the like to the material blank.
The disadvantage of the known method is the expected, material-related limitation of the shaping of the plastic part.
EP 1 301 322 B1 discloses another known method in which a material blank of a fiber mat is placed into the shaping tool and is sprayed over the entire surface with a reactive matrix material, namely a reactive matrix resin in this case. In order to form the material blank, the shaping tool is then closed and held in the closed state until the matrix resin has cured. In order to spray the material blank with a matrix resin as described above, the matrix resin is injected into the cavity between the upper die and the lower die of the shaping tool with the shaping tool closed. This so-called resin-injection procedure (RTM, “Resin Transfer Moulding”) makes it possible to fully automatically produce plastic parts having extraordinarily good surface quality.
The subsequent application of a matrix resin into the material blank comprising a highly flexible fibrous material results in simple handling of the material blank before placement into the shaping tool. Such operation results in high flexibility in the shaping of the plastic part to be produced. However, introducing the matrix resin into the fibrous material in an optimal manner is challenging in terms of the system and the process.